Wow, so much to catch up on. In a spur of the moment opportunity “Habitaciones Para Latinos Association” board chairmen found himself in Frankfurt, Germany. An opportunity to meet and connect with fellow Latinos from all over the world. And so it was. From our home country of Spain to South America, Central America & Mexico. We discussed the needs of the global economy and how to keep building a cooperative spirit among all of God’s people and to make a special effort to help and promote the Latino culture which impacts every part of our world. 

On returning home the needs are exacerbated and saving a home from abandonment and destruction becomes a huge struggle for one family. The City of Kansas City Kansas and the neighborhood associations work diligently with limited resources to provide help for those in need. Habitaciones Para Latinos Association had five projects wished on us to provide simple and easily accomplished relief along with one expensive and difficult project that require specialists and plenty of money to complete. We have accepted the challenge with faith that resources will become available.

One easy project was to snake out a kitchen drain which has gotten clogged due to crease being poured down the kitchen drain by a retired security officer with little outside help or income. Teaching, training and reminding that grease left over from frying fish or other food should be disposed of in a non flammable or non breakable container and disposed of properly. Not poured down the kitchen drain where it hardens in the p-traps of modern household drain systems. Thank goodness for ABS and 25′ snakes driven by a battery-powered hand drills. We got the system flowing but it but, it won’t last long before the problem returns if you keep pouring hot grease down the kitchen sink drain. (Aside: Enzyme drain treatments are great to help clear out the pipes the rest of the way but requires the patience and understanding of growing plants, raising children or maintaining a pet. It is a fine process but should be done, especially in these situations. Liquid or powdered drain treatments with acids most often do not work).

Leaking pipes seems to be a problem for everybody in the world and when resources are limited; the leaky faucet or toilet tank are too often overlooked and the water bill just climbs. One or two dollars more a month on the water bill sometimes is easier to afford than a $39.00 flush valve or even a $150.00 kitchen faucet. So if charitable organizations are helping pay utilities, investing in a new overhaul kit for the needy is cheap at any price. One lady was capturing up to 10 gallons of water a day in her bath tub before we were able to put $20.00 worth of parts and stop the leak all together. The sink in the bathroom was leaking also and that was fixed with $4.95 worth of parts. Yes, I know where you are going with this. The labor to get a plumber is astronomical. Yes it is and “Habitaciones Para Latinos Associations” provides the labor to those in need at no charge at all. How is this possible? It is only possible by the charities working together and sharing the gifts and donations made by you. 

I have been on the soap box for some time concerning the need to donate to local charities and watch what your money is truly being used for. So many of the great and wonderful charities known around the world can often lose track of where the needs really are and where the contributions, by you, truly go.

If you want to know where your donations are being used in our organizations we will tell you that they are going directly to the needy of in our neighborhoods in Wyandotte County Kansas the City of Kansas City Kansas.

Please send your contributions directly to:

Habitaciones Para Latinos Association

6354 Stevenson St.

Shawnee, Kansas 66218

Or on our website, touch on the donate button on the main menu. (Managed by PayPal)

www.habitacionesparalatinos.org

We remain grateful and thankful for your help and those we serve know that we do what we do is because of our sacrifice supplemented greatly by your gifts of support.

Sincerely,

Habitaciones Para Latinos Association